Fruit-basket



(No Model.)

J-. H. MARVIL.

FRUIT BASKET.

Patented Aug. 14, 1888.

rz/aZ lhvrrnn STATES Parana @rrrea JOSHUA H. MAR-VIL, OF LAUREL, DELAlVARE.

FRUIT-BASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,895, dated August 14, 1888.

Application filed April i2, 1858. Serial No. 270,482.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSHUA H. Mnnvrn, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Laurel, in the county of Sussex and State of Delaware, have invented new and useful Improve inentsin Fruit-Baskets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fruitbaskets, and has for its object to provide a novel construction whereby a strong and durable square-top or polygonal basket is produced.

Heretofore it has been difficult to properly form and secure the wooden rim of a squaretop basket without the use of corner-fastenings, on account of the liability of the wooden hoops becoming broken or checked when bent at comparatively sharp angles. This liability to breakage has been avoided by steaming the material or by bending it on curves instead of angles, the latter, however, being objectionable by reason of the formation of bulges at the corners, which practically destroy the polygo' nal character of the basket-rim. In order to overcome these objections in a practical and economical manner, I have taken advantage of the fact that a comparatively thin veneer can be bent nearly to a right angle without danger of breaking or cracking, and that by bending one veneer over another a baskctrim of the requisite strength and durability can be readily made. I therefore form the outer hoop of a polygonal basket-rim from two or more thin wooden strips or veneers placed one over another and bent to sharp angles at the basketcorners. The inner hoop I may make from a single strip scored transversely to bend at the basketcorners, or I may make it in several pieces, each having a length equal to the width of one side of the basket at its top. The vertical strips that constitute the sides of the basket are flared outwardly at their upper portions and secured between said outer and inner hoops, and their lower ends are nailed to a wooden bottom block, while a central hoop encircles the basket and has overlapping ends extended upwardlyin opposite directions and nailed to two of the vertical strips, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fruit-basket provided with my improved (No model.)

rim, the outer hoop being shown unfasteued at one end to show the veneers more clearly, and the inner hoop being shown as formed oi a single strip scored at the basketcorners. Fig. 2 is a plan of the basket, showing the inner rim formed in several pieces.

The bottom 1 of the basket may consist of a piece of wood out to any desired size and form. To the edges of the basketbottom 1 are secured the lower ends of the vertical strips 2,

The upper that form the sides of the basket. ends of the vertical strips 2 are secured by nails between an inner rectangular or polygonal rim, 3, and an outer rim, 4-, of similar shape.

The inner basket-rim, 3, may consist of a single continuous wooden strip, as shown in Fig. 1, or it may consist of several detached pieces, as shown in Fig. 2. When the inner rim, 3, is made from a single strip, it is preferable to provide it with transverse scoring 5 at the points where it is to be bent to form the inner corners or angles of the basketrim. If the inner rim is made in several detached pieces, as shown in Fig. 2, each piecewill have a length equal about to the desired width of the basket at the top.

As shown in both figures of the drawings, the outer basket-rim, 4;, consists of several thin strips or veneers placed one over the other and surrounding the upper ends of the basket sides. Two or more thin veneers may be used to form this outer rim. Both the inner and the outer rims are secured to the upper ends of the vertical strips 2 by nails or other suitable fasten ings.

Experience has shown that it is impossible to bend a stout piece of nnsteamed timber at the corners of a polygonal basket-rim without breakiu g or cracking the material and producing a worthless and unsightly corner, while by using several thicknesses of thin veneer short and sharp corners can be readily turned and yet retain all the desired strength. It is apparent, therefore, that by making the outer rim of a polygonal or square-top basket from two or more thin strips or veneers placed one over another, as shown, I obtain all the advantages of a pliable and durable material and can produce a polygonal basket of the desired strength without employing the usual metallic straps or other fastenings at the corners of the angles.

In order to strengthen the sides of the basket and give the upward flare or curve to the vertical strips 2, a central hoop, 6, preferably of wood, is used. This hoop may be made in one or more pieces nailed in place, and its ends overlap on one vertical strip and extend upward in opposite directions, and are then passed between and behind the adjacent vertical strips 2 for the purpose of securing additional strength. The lower ends of the vertical strips 2 are confined by a bottom hoop, 7, which is also preferably composed of wood.

By using thin veneers for the hoops 6 and 7, as well as for the basket-rim, a square or polygonal basket with comparatively sharp corners can be produced at small expense and without liability of breaking the thin but pliable material composing the hoops and rim.

By forming the outer basket-rim from two or more thin veneers, any shape-either round, square, hexagon, octagon, or other polygoncan be readily produced without cracking or breaking the material. In bending the veneers to the desired shape the outer strips will bend around the inner ones and yield to the re quircd angles without strain, and the fibers of each strip will remain unbroken, so that by employing a suitable number of veneers any required degree of strength and elasticity can be obtained without regard to the size or shape of the basket-rim.

The center hoop may be made in one continuouspieceorintwo orniore shortlengthsaml of one or more thicknesses. Its ends are flared upward, as shown, and may be fastened either on the inside or outside of the vertical basket splints or strips 2, and their ends may be beveled sufficientl y to lie close to or flush with the vertical splints. By the upward flare given to the ends of this hoop the sides of the basket are securely braced and their strength considerabl y increased.

WVhat I claim is- 1. A polygonal fruit-basket comprising the vertical strips 2, flared outwardly at their upper portions, the top outer rim, 4, having parallel sides and bent corners and composed of a series of thin veneers lying one upon another, and the central hoop, 6, having .overlapping portions extended upward in opposite directions and passed between and behind two of the vertical strips, substantially as. described.

2. A fruit-basket comprising a wooden bottom block, a series of outwardly-flaring vertical strips nailed to said bottom, the inner and outer top rims and the central hoop having overlapping end portions and each secured to one vertical strip and extended upwardly and bearing upon and each secured to the two adjacent vertical strips, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I a'l'llx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSHUA H. MARVIL. \Vitnesses:

H. F. l\'[ARVIL, JOHN H. ELLIOTT. 

